Young and Beautiful
by Izumi's Apprentice
Summary: Kara and Cat have been dating for a year now, becoming a lovely little family unit with Carter, but a fight with a technologically advanced alien has Kara spiraling to the Earth, her powers ineffective. She survives but when she lands, she's thirteen years old again, her memories gone... SuperCat.


Disclaimer: I do not own Supergirl

Author's Notes: I may have swiped a little science information from Star Trek to help this idea get off the ground, no pun intended. This is my submission for the SuperCatSlam, the theme being "Fall"

Young and Beautiful

She knew gravity was a relative term and though it was much lighter on Earth than her home planet of Krypton, assisting in her ability to fly with the power of the yellow sun, she felt as though she were falling much faster than she should have been. Hurtling toward the open sandy beaches she had just lured a hostile alien away from her newfound family. This alien was even more sophisticated than Krypton had been, more on pace of Gene Roddenberry's Starfleet. The moment she had spun around to land a punch on her opponent, this device had been activated, a bright blue glow surrounding her form and then she was out of control in the air, far too fast for J'onn to get there on time. She tried to activate her powers, her flight capabilities, but to no avail. Had her powers been blown out by that device? No...it felt more like a transporter beam of sorts, though she had never had the pleasure of that adventure, her mother far too worried about the strange technology, but watching Aunt Astra test it out was excitement enough. She had heard plenty from the woman about how tingly it made her feel, how she felt in a million places all at once yet she arrived to the other side of the room completely intact. Had this alien duplicated the schematics and adjusted it to wound the Kryptonian, now a mere helicopter's height from the Earth?

Crap...

This was going to hurt and all she could manage was to rotate to land on her feet, crouching carefully in the air to avoid further injury than what she knew would befall her. A woman sized crater indented the sand as she fell face first into the ground after letting her legs take the jolting impact, her breath haggard and eyes blurred. She faintly heard the hum of voices in her earpiece about the alien vanishing into thin air and the sound hurried footsteps rushing toward her. She was pushed on to her back but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't focus on the curly hair boy or the blonde angel at either side of her. She smiled lazily, eyelids giving in to the pain and dropping closed.

"Kara? Kara, wake up!" Cat shook the girl's shoulder frantically, searching her face for recognition, checking her chest for breath.

"Mom, careful. Maybe she got hurt upon landing," Carter chastised in a quiet scared voice.

Cat took a moment to center herself and try to analyze the situation, to figure out what to do. It would be mere moments before Alex and her team showed up to take Kara away for tests and recovery, but Cat knew she would fret the entire time no matter the outcome. What had happened in the sky was unlike anything she had ever seen before, something strange and alien. Well...more alien than anything the Earth had encountered before. Apparently, Kara had been surprised too, if the bewildered look on her face through the telescope was any indication.

"Supergirl!" the unusually shrill voice of Kara's sister broke through Cat's musings. Alex slid down the crater easily and Carter scooted aside. He glanced up when he felt a shadow cross his face, seeing Lucy and J'onn there too. Alex was checking Kara's vitals to the best of her ability with equipment, the team probably getting a gurney ready to retrieve the superhero.

When a groan emitted from Kara's mouth, a collective sigh rang out, but it was a premature relief. Something was wrong. There were no lights, no fancy glowing or buzzing, but right before their eyes, Kara's body shrunk and morphed. It was Alex who had gasped first, recognition dawning in her hazel eyes.

"How...how the hell is she a teenager again?" she asked askance, looking up at J'onn as the only possible source of an explanation.

Cat rocked back onto the balls of her feet, hand to her mouth as shock and fear settled in her gut. Noticing this, Carter moved around the smaller Kara body to wrap an arm around his mother's waist and hold her tight.

For once in as long as his agents have known him, J'onn was without words, staring blankly at the fallen Kryptonian. Surprisingly enough it was Lucy who spoke up. "It would be best if we take her to your lab for those questions, Alex. And before the rest of the beachgoers come looking for a scoop," she spoke crisp and clear, waving over the extraction team and the gurney.

–

Unconscious under the sun lamps at the D.E.O, with her family surrounding her, Kara lay prone for several hours healing. For the first time, Carter had been allowed inside the building but to keep him distracted from Kara's condition Lucy and J'onn had offered to show him around the establishment, knowing there was no way they could pry the sister and girlfriend from the Kryptonian's side. Carter, of course, was no fool, but he kept his focus on the tour and not his fear of Kara being the same age as himself. Tilting his head up to ask J'onn a question about Kara's spaceship he saw a grimace form on his face, barely noticeable if not for the crease in his forehead.

"What is it?" he asked quietly, fiddling with his jacket hem.

"She's regaining consciousness..." he trailed off, sharing a concerned look with Lucy as they turned and headed back to the medical bay.

Alex looked up when they returned with furrowed brows. She was about to upon her mouth to speak when she felt a hand grasp her forearm weakly. "Alex? Wha...what is going on?" Alex gulped at the sound of that scared voice, thick with the accent of her home planet as though she wasn't fluent in English anymore.

"Hey, Kara...you remember," Alex smiled, clasping their hands together.

"Of course, you are Eliza and Jeremiah's daughter," she explained, not noticing Alex and J'onn's wince. "Where are they?" Kara asked looking around the room, glancing past Cat on her other side and the new occupants by the door. Almost immediately she squinted and closed her eyes shut. _"Too much,"_ she muttered in Kryptonian.

"Her glasses..." Alex discerned easily, reaching for the pair Cat has so wisely brought with her and placed them gently on Kara's face. "Hey...it's alright now, "she soothed, brushing light brown hair from Kara's brow.

"Why are you being so nice to me, Alex? You hate me being here, except...you look different. Shorter hair...darker eyes...older. Why?" Kara spoke with such innocence, scrutinizing her surroundings further, reaching up to mess with the arm of the glasses, seemingly unused to the feeling.

Cat felt herself gasp and clamped a hand over her mouth before standing and walking to the other side of the room to compose herself by watching the officers outside the window puttering away at work. This was too much. Not only was Kara a _teenager_ of all things again, she didn't seem to remember anything. Not even her foster father's death which was but a year after her landing on Earth. First she lost twenty some odd years in the Phantom Zone half-lucid and now she's lost another decade somehow! Another romantic endeavor blown to bits. Unless there was a way to...reverse? Speed up her aging? To fix it. God, she had no idea how advanced even the D.E.O.'s technology, their scientific advances were. But surely...

Meanwhile, Carter had sunk into a chair in the corner, visibly upset by the recent turn of events and more so affected by his mother's reaction. They had been dating for almost a year now and now Carter could date Kara if he wanted. Which he most certainly did not! But it was still weird and really creepy now. Not to mention he lost his first friend in years. His best friend. J'onn smartly stood by Carter with a strong hand on his shoulder should the boy desire the comfort, the contact, eyes watching the interaction between sisters.

"What _do_ you remember Kara?" Lucy asked crossing to stand beside Alex, arms crossed over her chest.

"I remember Kal finding my pod and bringing me to the Danvers, meeting Alex, saving a mother and child the day Alex took me to the beach after my first week at human school, Jeremiah making these glasses to help me focus and nothing else of importance, except Eliza's chocolate pecan pie which is by far the best dessert in the galaxy," Kara listed, licking her lips at the recollection of the food in question. When she was about to question why, her stomach rumbled and she giggled. "I think I'm hungry," she admitted with a shy blush, glancing at Alex before furtively checking out everyone else in the room.

"Kara...you...your...your body lost about twelve years of aging and apparently your memory was affected too. You're supposed to be about a year younger than me in appearance but now you're a teenager again, not even a year after your pod originally landed. You got into a fight with an alien who had some kind of transporter technology, were sent through that and crash landed on the beach," Alex began to explain, refraining from mentioning Cat in any regard, not wishing to overload her sister with facts or hurting the media mogul any further than she was already hurt.

Kara's face was scrunched up as she attempted to understand what she had heard, trying to figure out what it meant. "I'm...not supposed to be this young. I'm actually an adult? But I lost my memories? Worse than when I was in the Phantom Zone," she muttered to herself, staring at the too big D.E.O. regulation pants sitting loosely on her legs. "So...what do we do?" Kara asked in a small scared voice, only able to meet Alex's eyes, the only familiar pair in the room, despite confused about where they stood relationship-wise. It seemed that this older Alex wasn't as distant and angry about her presence, cared about her deeply it would seem, but it was still unnerving.

Alex took in a shaky breath of air before clenching her fists in her lap. "We're going to do some research into that transporter technology and your physiology, of course, probably ask your A.I for some Kryptonian knowledge and see if we can reverse the effect, fix this. J'onn..." Alex gestured toward the man. "Is a Martian and can lend insight into memories if our physical pursuits lead to dead ends. For now, you should get some rest in actual sunlight and adjust to the world once more. We'll keep you safe," she finished explaining, releasing the tension in one hand to clasp Kara's and smiled reassuringly.

Slowly, she nodded her understanding, eyes drawn to Cat's back, wondering why she had been so quiet and unfocused on the situation. What was their relationship before she reverted? Maybe she could ask at some point. _"Thank you, Alex,"_ Kara says, accidentally slipping in Kryptonian again.

–

"Are those mine? Why are my adult clothes and art supplies in your house, Cat?"

"Well...you used to live here, Kara..." her voice is soft like a far off rumble of thunder, thick with emotion as she attempts to steel her resolve. Allowing Kara to continue staying with her despite the change in age while they figure this debacle out may not have been the best idea she's had. But Carter was so intent on helping Kara get re-used to Earth since he was the only one in her circle of friends who was her age now. They had decided sending her back to Eliza wasn't the smartest of options what with Kara known in Midvale and how suspicious it would be for her to return. Cat also knew she wanted to ensure Kara's safety even if they couldn't be romantically involved. Maybe this was a sign that they never should have pursued a relationship? Cat sighed, rubbing at her temples.

"I'll show you to your room, Kara," Carter whispers hesitantly, itching to reach out a hand for her. Kara's eyes remain on Cat for a moment, wondering why she was being led away from those clothes if she used to live her. She blinks after a few moments, unable to discern Cat's expression, turning to smile at Carter.

" _Thanks—_ Uh...I mean, thanks," she bites her lip at the slip up, pupils blown in concern.

"It's okay," he promises, smiling back. "I like the sound of Kryptonian," he adds, pulling her down the hall to the unused spare bedroom which would now be Kara's. Carter took a moment to glance over his shoulder at his mother and frowned slightly. This was not going to be easy for her. He was almost certain she was in love with Kara, but hadn't been able to figure out if they confessed those feelings for one another and now Cat wouldn't be able to without making this bizarre for Kara. "Here," he opens the door and waves his arm with a flourish picked up from his mother. "It's near mine so if you need something you can come ask, okay?"

Kara nods. "Okay," she says the word a little stunted.

"But Alex said the balcony would be a good idea. Uhm...we could play a game while you soak up the sun," he suggested. "Or if you wanna be alone, we could find a book for you to read?" Carter tacked on just in case he was being overbearing.

"A game sounds nice," Kara said, staring at the floor by her feet, a slight blush on her face. Kara's nerve at asking Carter about why his mother looked so sad, why this feeling of foreboding sat heavy in her own stomach, and why her clothes were in Cat's room faded away as they passed the woman in question on their way to the balcony.

–

Kara had fun learning the ins and outs of Settlers of Catan that day, Cat eventually bringing them snacks and lemonade, coerced into joining them when they finally started a game. Apparently board games were more interesting with three people, and soon they were laughing and having fun, the sadness in her generous benefactor's eyes merely glinting beyond the surface as her mood lightened considerably. That was a good sign, Kara figured, but she still couldn't bring herself to question her former (or was it present?) life. Dinner was pleasantly filling and though Carter attempted to coax her into watching a movie, Kara felt exhausted and uncomfortable again, voting to go to sleep early that night after requesting a book.

Carter had insisted that she needed to read _The Dark Hills Divide_ by Patrick Carmen so she took that book, thanked him and wished both of them goodnight. Cat also offered her kindness to Kara should she need it during the night, but the Kryptonian was certain it would be less of a problem bothering Carter than Cat. She didn't want to wound the woman any further than she already was.

She was slipping into unconsciousness after staying up tossing and turning for several hours into the night when she heard a whimper followed by a weak sniffle. Kara opened her eyes blearily and strained her ears to listen, focusing in the sound of a stammering heartbeat and heavy breaths before the sounds of light crying filtered into her ears. It was coming from Cat's room... Kara took in a deep breath, drawing on the strength she had seen radiating from Alex at the underground bunker and climbed out of her bed.

Kara walked slowly and silently along the hardwood floors down to Cat's bedroom, worrying her lip between her teeth. When she reached the door, her raised fist hesitated for a scant moment and then knocked softly.

The crying halted as the breathing paused, probably held. "Miss. Cat? Are...are you okay?" Kara called into the room. "I...heard you crying," she admitted, a blush tinting her cheeks as she dared to open the door slightly and peer inside.

Cat sighed and sat up from the bed, viewing the young teen then gestured for her to enter fully. Kara did so and thinking smartly for a moment, closed the door behind her to prevent waking Carter up. She crossed the distance to the end of Cat's bed, keeping a careful distance between them. "Why do I upset you?" Kara asked, unable to make eye contact.

"It's not you."

"Yes it is."

Silence resounded for many minutes before Cat stood up, the creak of the bed drawing Kara's attention to watch as the older woman rounded the corner of her bed and usher Kara to sit, joining her momentarily. She couldn't tell Kara the entire truth, but she owed her some semblance of it, to explain her cold demeanor and the sadness the girl had obviously been noting in her gaze.

"It's not you, " Cat started, holding up a hand to silence Kara in order to continue, "It's who you used to be. Kara..." the name didn't match the face and it sent a painful pang through her heart. "You and I were very close before the incident and it's hard seeing you so much younger than before. It feels as though all we worked toward was smashed to smithereens," Cat said, gripping her pajama pants tightly in her fists.

Kara watched Cat compassionately, reaching out a hand to rest on one of Cat's hands. Fear was racing through her but she felt the sincerity in her words, the promise Alex has made her as she spoke, "This will get fixed." She offered a smile, as genuine as she could despite the shakiness she felt in her body, in her eyes.

Cat sniffled one last time and felt her resolve break. "Even now, like this, you're projecting hope," she muttered affectionately, flipping her hand to properly lace their fingers. "Thank you, Kara," she added.

"Always," she says, concern etched in her features when Cat's breath hitches and she averts her gaze once more. Kara uncertain of what she had done, perhaps said something she had said previously? She moves closer to Cat and warily wraps her arms around her in an attempt to comfort her, to apologize in a sense despite not knowing what was wrong. This really was a tough situation for everyone. Kara wished she had stayed with Alex in the lab instead of subjecting Cat and her lovely son to this...tragedy.

Cat finds herself clinging to the back of Kara's sleep shirt much the same as during the Myriad catastrophe, trying to find that incomprehensible Supergirl strength in the younger version. It hurts more than anything else in her life had hurt, but she needed to be there for Kara, to support her as she waded through unsteady waters until they found a cure for this incident. And if there was no fixing it...Cat dared not to ponder that train of thought, knowing she would surely spend the night awake crying her eyes out, worrying the girl she loved.

–

It's Monday morning and Alex and J'onn still haven't found a solution to Kara's unique condition, Carter asking over his morning cereal what they were going to do with Kara during the day. Cat could easily take the day off, handing over her duties to James and Winn to spend the day working from home but she doubted that would be a smart decision considering how strained she had felt over the weekend with Kara.

"I do not want to be a bother," Kara's timid voice comes from the edge of the hallway drawing both Grant's eyes to her. "I can go to the lab with Alex," she suggested, staring at the floor, one hand fiddling with her glasses.

Carter's mouth opened to protest and suggest that she come to school with him but Cat pipes up as though reading her son's mind. "Carter, she can't join you at school. There's not enough time to forge a whole new set of papers for her and enroll her the same day," she scolds lightly.

"But! What if we said she was shadowing me or something, like she's considering coming to St. Edmund Hall," he offered. Cat sighs, affording a glance in Kara's direction. She looks guilty as though her simple presence were a nuisance.

"Kara, come eat some breakfast, please," she waves the girl over, taking a long sip of her coffee as she contemplates her next course of action. Cat allows Kara to wolf down some pancakes before she poses the question. "Setting your guilt aside and thinking of being happy today, having fun, what do you want to do?"

Kara's throat is bobbing with swallowing as her hand is halfway to her mouth with another forkful of food as she catches Cat's gaze. She sets her fork on the plate and twiddles her thumbs. She's about to answer a little too quickly, but thinking better of it, she pauses and continues thinking. "I...I would like to spend time with Carter, if that is alright with you, Miss Cat," she says in that soft voice that makes Cat ache with the need to wrap her in a blanket and never let her out of her sight.

Cat concedes, unable to say no to this younger, more scared version of Kara and smiles warily. "Yes, that is fine," she breaths out, standing from the kitchen island to collect a pad of paper to explain Kara's circumstances for Carter's principal and teacher, leaving her personal cellphone number should anything go wrong today. She walks over to Carter excitedly explaining how they were discussing dinosaurs in class last week. "Carter, give this to your principal, and your teacher. I'm entrusting you to call if something goes wrong or Kara wants to leave today, alright?" Cat levels him with a firm look at which he nods.

–

"It was so interesting, Alex, there are creatures called dinosaurs and some had necks as tall as Miss. Cat's work office. It was fascinating!" Kara was spilling her guts over her time spent at Carter's school that day, legs banging against the undercarriage of the table she was seated on.

"Kara, please stop," Alex says in a slightly peeved voice, hands on both of her sister's knees to prevent the nervous tick.

" _Sorry,"_ she whispers and Alex sighs.

"I'm not mad at you, only trying to concentrate, okay?" she smiled at Kara in reassurance and she nodded hesitantly. "I know it's hard to go from living with younger me resenting your presence, but we moved past that, pretty quickly too and we're the best of friends now, so there's no need to worry about upsetting me," Alex explained kindly, brushing a hair behind Kara's ear.

Kara smiled slowly but it didn't reach her eyes as she was reminded of where she would be going after this visit and checkup with Alex. "Alex...?"

"Hm?" Alex says, looking over the readings once more.

"I think I'm hurting Miss. Cat," Kara admits.

Alex turns to face her, seeing the fear in Kara's face. "Why would you say that?" she asks slowly, pulling a rolling stool toward the bed and clasping both of Kara's hands in hers.

"She always looks so sad and I think I should not stay with her and Carter anymore. It hurts her too much and I do not like that look on her face, that sadness that never leaves her emerald eyes," Kara explains in a tight voice, swallowing around the lump forming in her throat.

"Oh, Kara..." Alex trails off, squeezing her hands until Kara looks up at her. "The reason Cat is upset is because...she loves you," Alex said in a whisper, knowing Cat would kill her if she learns she had revealed this to Kara. "You two were dating before the incident, uhm...courting each other, if you will. You know how my parents chose to be together versus Krypton arranging marriages? Same thing, you were enraptured by Cat and she was ensnared by her and eventually you both admitting to wanting to date and were for a little over a year now. It's obvious you were in love, whether or not you said so. And now...things are awkward because you're thirteen again, but she still cares for you, which is why she opened her home to you again," Alex finished, trying to be as simple and honest with Kara as possible. She deserved the truth after all and she doubted Cat had the strength to say everything.

Kara was silent for several moments, hands clenching and unclenching Alex's multiple times before her shoulders slumped and head bowed forward. "I feel bad," she said. "I should not put her through this if she loves me, if I had loved her romantically. It it not fair to her. Can I stay with you, Alex? Please," she pleaded, tears shining in her blue eyes.

Alex released a shaky breath at the open display of Kara's emotions, her selflessness and kindness for a woman she thought she only just met. "I will talk to Cat about it, Kara. I promise," she said. "And we're going to redouble our efforts to fix this, get your memories back. I'm going to go talk to Lucy and Cat for a moment while J'onn comes to check on you, alright. He's the Martian you met already," she explained in a soft voice, rising to leave the room.

"Thank you," Kara called after her sister, glad to be strong enough to speak in English. J'onn entered a few moments later and cracked a smile at Kara who blushed under the affectionate gesture. "Hello," she whispered.

"Hi, Kara," he greeted, sitting on the stool Alex had vacated. "Kryptonian brains are tough to access, I never could when you were an adult and we never needed to for other reasons, but with your consent and cooperation I believe we may be successful today in probing your recollections," J'onn said.

"Sure. Whatever it takes," Kara agreed easily, her only thought of easing Cat's pain.

J'onn eyed her critically, wondering what had her so driven to age up, or at least remember her current life. Knowing Cat wanted to get home at a decent hour, he set his curiosity aside and placed his hands delicately on either side of Kara's face. "Relax and trust that I intend you no harm and I should be able to ease my way into your consciousness and look around for your lost memories," he whispered almost reverently, eyes closing once Kara's did too.

It was as advanced as he had expected it to be in Kara's mind, plenty of blockages up around her mind to prevent one such as himself and so much more room than a typical human's, as though her mind could contain the vast knowledge of an army of humans, constantly learning and expanding, everything set aside in its own special location. It was remarkably organized and J'onn found himself a little bit jealous as he moved past his initial reaction and on to the task at hand. It was more empty than he had expected it to be, perhaps because Kara had lost her memories, her years of Earth education and her easily found a glimmering section of her consciousness and moved toward it. He reached out to touch it and recoiled immediately, the sensation of evaporating tingling his fingers.

He growled slightly, brows furrowing in his physical form as he concentrated on the barrier and attempted to force his way through it, to open it up, to push past it in some way. "Kara..." he muttered. "Help me through," J'onn asked, hoping that her strength could be combined with his to get through this mental block, that shimmery door not dissimilar to the beams of light they witnessed when Kara vanished and then reappeared in the sky at a different location.

Kara's training in dream control on Krypton proved helpful in working past the barrier and both aliens gasped as the memories flooded out and filled the empty space, J'onn's presence immediately squandered by the force of the memories.

J'onn shook his head as his hands fell from Kara's face and he swiped one over his forehead, watching the girl carefully. Kara was frowning and staring at her knees. "Kara?" he urged gently.

"I do not...know. It feels overwhelming but things are coming back? A little?" she spoke in questioning lilts, unsure how to describe it beyond those words.

"It may take some time. Relax and let the memories come as they please. You did very well today, Kara. Good job," J'onn rested a heavy hand on Kara's shoulder and smiled at her.

Kara nodded her head, eyes darting to the door hearing three pairs of footsteps. The door opened and Alex and Lucy came inside, Cat trailing a few feet behind them. Kara hopped down from the bed and walked slowly over to the women, slowly wrapping her arms around Cat's middle. Surprised Cat held Kara but glanced at the others confused.

"I think we released the dam for her lost memories but nothing has solidified in her mind yet. She's feeling vulnerable," J'onn explained carefully. Kara's grip tightened but she was aware of her strength and held back some.

–

Kara had hardly let go of Cat while the four 'adults' discussed possible solutions, Cat eventually pausing the conversation to ask why Kara was acting that way only to hear the girl admit that though she doesn't remember anything distinct, she does remember the overwhelming sense of security in Cat's presence. It was easily determined despite Kara's earlier protests, that she would return to Cat's place for the foreseeable future as they analyzed the Kryptonian DNA, possibly contacting Superman himself if Kara's A.I. was of no use. Especially in the detainment of that alien from Kara's fight so they could confiscate his technology and study it. Perhaps that was the key to regaining Kara's adult body.

So once again, Kara was in Cat's apartment but she felt less awkward if only because she knew her way around the building. She had swiped a chair on the balcony and was surveying the sky silently, keeping out of Carter and Cat's hair as he did his homework. She had wanted to offer her help because she understood math beyond what was typical of her age group in humans but she saw the way Cat's eyes lit up at spending the close time with her son so she stepped aside.

She was staring past the atmosphere of Earth, beyond the asteroid belt, Saturn's pretty rings, into the vastness beyond Pluto, trying to locate her beloved Rao. Frankly, Kara was more curious if the debris from Krypton was any less prominent now then it had been when she arrived on Earth. Had it been swept away by the current of neighboring planet ships, or was it still looming ominously?

A light hand on her shoulder jolted her back to the presence and Kara closed her eyes tightly to focus on the here and now, to push back the tears prickling her eyes. "What were you looking for?" Cat's voice is soft, compassionate as though she knows exactly what Kara was looking at but allowing her to reveal it on her own time.

"Home..." Kara trails off, blue eyes opening once more to turn and see Cat kneeling by her chair.

"I'm sorry," Cat offers, rubbing a comforting hand on Kara's shoulder blade. "I hope this becomes a home for you again, Earth...my house," her voice catches when she says the truth, nibbling on her bottom lip because she had a feeling something had cracked in Kara and she knew their history. Whether it was the swirling memories cascading in her consciousness or someone had pitied her staying with Cat and told her.

"Actually...you feel like home, Miss Cat," Kara admits with a shy blush, head dipping down to stare at her lap.

"I'm glad," Cat said. "Do you remember anything other than feelings?" she queried.

"I remember that Jeremiah died after being taken by the D.E.O." Kara reveals bitterly. "It was my fault," she adds, fists clenched.

"No it wasn't. He did that to protect not only you, but your family, Alex and Eliza. And J'onn was spared from death because of Jeremiah," Cat explained slowly, having had this same discussion with Kara some months back when she had woken from sleep in a cold sweat. "He was able to die a hero, like his two favorite daughters," Cat's voice lilted up to loosen the tension surrounding them, a smile on her face. It was so easy to talk to Kara, to offer support, appreciation and comfort, no matter the differences.

Kara didn't seem convinced but she smiled for Cat's sake, appreciating the effort more than the sentiment. She glanced up at the sky once more before pointing. "Rao is in that direction...Krypton doesn't look any different," she whispered, hardly wishing to depart with the information and the hand on her shoulder tightened.

"I would like to see Rao one day," Cat replied.

Kara huffed out a light laugh. "You're confined to the Earth, Miss Cat," she said, but humor graced her eyes for the first time and though it was at her expense, Cat was happy.

"I meant going to an observatory and viewing it through a telescope, dear," she explained. Kara's eyes widened as she contemplated that thought, having not crossed her mind previously.

"Oh," was all she said, glancing at Cat sideways. "Uhm...I...I had a nightmare last night," Kara bit her lip. "And...and on really bad nights...Alex used to hold me until I fell asleep again. With my memories back, I am worried..." she was unable to finish the sentence, images conjured in her mind at the mere thought of her common night terrors and what her adult self had endured.

"That you will have more," Cat finished for her, hand sliding across her shoulders to pull Kara toward her in a half hug. "I understand. Would you like me to keep you company tonight?" she asked, setting aside how strange it would be holding this version of Kara in her bed and not sharing a goodnight kiss with her. She had to to protect Kara.

"Will you leave?"

"Never."

–

"Cat?"

Cat's breath catches in her throat, the sound of Kara's voice so unlike the last few weeks and she hardly dares to look up from her home office afraid to see her girlfriend standing before her, perfect as always. But it's not...teenaged Kara stands in the doorframe, glasses abandoned by her book no doubt, hands clasped in front of her pajama pants. Cat raises a single brow in questioning.

"I'm sorry this is hurting you," Kara says, keeping eye contact with Cat but refusing to move. "I find all I want to do is wrap you in a hug and kiss away your sadness but it would make things more awkward and I want us to work if they figure out a way to fix my body," she continues solidly, the Supergirl bravery at the forefront, noticeable in the straight line of her shoulders.

"You remember?" Cat breathed, not believing everything had finally clicked into place so long after the mental dam had been opened. Kara nodded solemnly.

"Thank you for protecting me. For comforting me despite your pain," Kara's voice hitched slightly. "I will be fine tonight. My recollections of dream training are as strong as before," she said though the uncertainty in her eyes has Cat rising from her desk and approaching swiftly. She takes Kara into her arms.

"Don't be ridiculous. Sleeping will be even harder now, Kara," she whispers into growing lighter by the day hair. Cat hesitates briefly before placing a kiss to Kara's temple. "But I would never force you," she reminds her kindly.

Kara nods, a hiccup of a cry bubbling to the surface. With the return of her adults memories mashing with the last month and a half at Cat's, hanging with Carter at school and relearning human life, Kara had immediately felt overwhelmed and guilt over putting her loved ones through this travesty. She had realized she continued to cry until Cat was nearly pulling her into her lap, having maneuvered them to the study's couch, grateful to not risk falling to the ground in anguish.

She clings to Cat like a lifeline, burying her head in Cat's neck as she cries, the smell so far different than she was used to, but she finds she's grateful for that, so this isn't harder to deal with, that she's not tempted to place a kiss to Cat's collarbone and effectively ruin their relationship.

The entire time Kara weeps, Cat cradles her delicately, smoothing her hair down her back and rocking them back and forth in a lulling motion, knowing how soothing it was for Carter's worst days. She whispers comforting nothings in Kara's ear, promises that things would work out for the best and that in due time their lives would be back to normal, that they could get through this together.

–

Kara is clutching Cat's hand tightly as they stand in the middle of the open desert, nervously gulping every time someone flits about setting things up. "I know who I was...who I am and supposed to be, but this fear won't go away," Kara looks up at Cat, probably the only time in their lives Cat will stand taller than Kara and she smiles knowing that's the first thing she will tease the woman about when this is fixed.

"Maybe it's because your body is still a teenager?" Cat offers, eyes critical on Alex and J'onn examining the transportation device. They had asked Kara if she wanted Kal El to stick around after capturing the alien, but she had resoundingly declined, wishing to not worry her cousin about what has happened, hoping no one had revealed the information to him. Kara found out later from Cat that the story was Kara had lost her powers and under house arrest for being too clumsy, and the D.E.O were having trouble with that alien, needing the device to solve a problem. At least it wasn't a complete lie.

"Probably..." Kara trailed off, grip tightening when she saw Lucy approach.

"We're almost ready," she informed them, looking between the pair cautiously. "The theory is that your molecular structure is stored in that device, so if you go through it again—with us monitoring—your adult body will reform when you come back. Like Star Trek. That episode where Picard and Guinan were de-aged and they got that girl to play Whoopi's younger self that was her in Sister Act too? Nothing to worry about," Lucy explained, actually rambling to Kara, the worst rambler of the group, just assuage her fears.

Kara managed to giggle lightly, loosening her death grip on Cat's hand. "I think I got it Luce, thanks," she nodded in reassurance. She bit her lip as she looked over at Alex once more and began towards them. Her trek stopped only by the light grip on her hand from Cat. Kara turned to face her, brows furrowing slightly.

Cat bent down only slightly to look Kara in the eyes, green eyes swirling with too many emotions for Kara to dissect at that moment. "You and Carter are the positive in my life so forgive me if I go pessimistic, but if this doesn't work out, whatever happens, I want you to know before you attempt this, that..." Cat's gaze darts down then back up with resolve the most noticeable in her countenance. "I love you, Kara Zor-El Danvers," she says, wrapping her arms around Kara and placing a kiss to her head, forcing her tears to abide her wishes and stay trapped.

"I love you too, Cat," Kara whispers, tearing herself away and rushing toward her sister as she wiped at the tears in her eyes, daring not to look back for she knew it would be impossible to resist kissing Cat.

Alex hugs her as well before Kara stands in front of the device, eyeing it warily. The controls are off to the side, carefully monitored by J'onn and Vasquez and Alex keeps an eye on Kara's vitals and proper DNA pattern. "Ready?" Alex calls out and Kara nods though not entirely sure.

Though this time she's not falling from the skies, she feels the same gut wrenching pull of her body as though she had transported back two full months to that fight with the sharp as a whip alien, luring her away from Cat's beach house. Dread settles in her mind as she expects the worse: losing another decade of her life and being a toddler once more. That was terrifying but she clung to her loved ones' words, that things would turn out alright and their lives would continue on. No matter what, she knew they loved her, that she would be okay no matter the state of her body, though Kara desperately wished to be an adult again to keep dating Cat and maybe one day asking to marry her, to spend the rest of their lives together.

It's that fear turned resolve that pushes Kara to believing in this technology, sending a prayer the long distance to Rao that things would fix themselves for the best, putting her faith in her spirituality and allowing her mind to wander away from her body as the device completely dissipates her teenaged body.

She's passed out again, that much she knows but why is her head throbbing so insistently? Was it the aftereffect of the transportation device? Kara groans and opens her eyes, surprised to see herself staring at the view from Cat's balcony, a frown dipping her face downwards. She stretches her arms above her head and feels her joints click back into place a low groan escaping. Kara takes in her appearance, noting that she appeared to be the same height as before the incident but something feels off. She stands to her feet and wobbles for a moment, hand outstretched on the wall to balance herself, her other hand on her head. That throbbing wouldn't go away. Is this what a headache felt like, she queried.

Kara manages to make her way inside, surprised to find Alex on Cat's couch talking with Carter about his science project, Cat watching them with a pleased glint in her eye. "Hey," Kara rasps out, clearing her throat immediately afterward. Cat stands and moves to help Kara sit down. "I'm alright," she murders again, but allows the assistance, leaning heavily into Cat's side once she's sitting. "I have a headache," Kara reported to Alex diligently.

"Yeah...about that..." Alex's face twitched with...amusement was it? "You kinda...gained some years somehow," she said.

Kara's head fell back on the couch and she grumbled incoherently.

"Only a few years but J'onn thinks that there's a gap in your memory now, one that can't be filled because we're not putting you through that device again to get you back to twenty-six," Alex explained firmly.

"So how old am I?" she asked, glaring halfheartedly at Alex.

"Thirty, maybe...thirty two," Alex offered. Kara sighed and rubbed at the bridge of her nose.

"Will this pounding go away?"

"Eventually, yeah."

"Good. I can't imagine living with this every day," Kara said, opening her eyes to glance at Cat then Carter. "How are you doing Carter? Ace that English essay?" she asked, searching for Cat's hand unconsciously, lacing their fingers when she was met with success.

"I got a B and mom thinks it's stupid so she wants to talk with my teacher over 'true writing ability' and not whatever 'subpar education' my teacher thinks she got," he explained bemused, air quotes in full effect. Kara giggles and looks at Cat fully now.

"Is that true?" she asks mostly to get a rise out of Cat, to hear how she would downplay the situation. Kara believes Carter fully and he knows that, especially by how he (and Alex) lean forward on the couch to watch Cat's face sour.

"That woman wouldn't know good writing if my Siegel Award for Women in Media hit her in the face so yes, I'm going to give her a piece of my mind and run Carter's essay in the Trib as proof of his brilliance," Cat sneers at the thought of her son being anything less than perfect.

"Cat, I think that's called favoritism," Alex prodded lightly, earning a glare from the other woman. She chuckled raising her hands in a surrendering gesture. "Hey, Carter, why don't we go get started on supper, I bet Kara's starving," she changed subjects smoothly, knowing the two needed to speak and sooner was better than later.

"Alright," Carter agreed, walking around the coffee table to give Kara a quick hug. "I'm glad you're back to normal," he told her, leading the charge to the kitchen.

Cat mouth's a thank you to Alex as she rises and waits for them to both leave fully and turns to Kara. "Hey," she mutters lamely.

"Hey," Kara returns with a goofy grin. She's nearly vibrating with the urge to kiss Cat, but she doesn't want to push her luck and mess things up so instead she settles for a content hug for the moment. "I feel so relieved," she told Cat.

"Not as much as I am," Cat teased lightly. "You weren't living every day with the knowledge of our relationship. Not until those last few days," she said.

"I know..." Kara's voice cracks and she holds Cat closer. "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I wanted to stay with Alex when she told me how you felt but then I felt so scared and empty that you were my safe haven. I never wanted to leave your side. And I never want to ever again," she promises, pulling back to stare determinedly into Cat's eyes.

Cat's defenses melt as her tears spill and her shoulders quiver beneath Kara's strong hands. She focuses on that connection, the heavy warmth of Kara's hands because it's the only thing grounding her currently and she needs that so desperately to console herself, to know that Kara really is here now. That things will get better in time.

"There will always be someone to save," Cat manages to say, looking up at Kara with watery eyes, her teeth worrying her lip to prevent more crying.

"No one more important than saving you," Kara states simply, leaning forward and gently capturing Cat's lips with hers, a soft kiss, reminiscent of a first kiss in tentative nature. A first step back toward normalcy, wary of any discomfort from the previous months spent together but not truly together, an easy out should it be too much to bear.

Cat's hand wounds around Kara's neck as she keeps her close and she breaths out a sigh of relief,

" _El mayara."_


End file.
